4. Chapter 4 — Glorification of Self-Realization
Verses 1–6
4.1
अष्टावक्र उवाच — aṣṭāvakra uvāca
हन्तात्मज्ञानस्य धीरस्य खेलतो भोगलीलया ।
न हि संसारवाहीकैर्मूढैः सह समानता ॥
hantātmajñānasya dhīrasya khelato bhogalīlayā ।
na hi saṃsāravāhīkairmūḍhaiḥ saha samānatā ॥
Oh, the man of understanding, the knower of Self who plays the game of life has no similarity to the deluded beasts of the world.
4.2
यत् पदं प्रेप्सवो दीनाः शक्राद्याः सर्वदेवताः ।
अहो तत्र स्थितो योगी न हर्षमुपगच्छति ॥
yat padaṃ prepsavo dīnāḥ śakrādyāḥ sarvadevatāḥ ।
aho tatra sthito yogī na harṣamupagacchati ॥
Oh, the Yogi does not feel elated abiding in that state which Indra and all other “gods hanker after and become unhappy.
4.3
तज्ज्ञस्य पुण्यपापाभ्यां स्पर्शो ह्यन्तर्न जायते ।
न ह्याकाशस्य धूमेन दृश्यमानापि सङ्गतिः ॥
tajjñasya puṇyapāpābhyāṃ sparśo hyantarna jāyate ।
na hyākāśasya dhūmena dṛśyamānāpi saṅgatiḥ ॥
The heart of one who has known That is not surely touched by virtue and vice, just as the sky is not touched by smoke, even though it appears to be.
4.4
आत्मैवेदं जगत्सर्वं ज्ञातं येन महात्मना ।
यदृच्छया वर्तमानं तं निषेद्धुं क्षमेत कः ॥
ātmaivedaṃ jagatsarvaṃ jñātaṃ yena mahātmanā ।
yadṛcchayā vartamānaṃ taṃ niṣeddhuṃ kṣameta kaḥ ॥
Who can prohibit that great-souled one who has known this entire universe to be the Self alone, from living as he pleases?
4.5
आब्रह्मस्तंबपर्यन्ते भूतग्रामे चतुर्विधे ।
विज्ञस्यैव हि सामर्थ्यमिच्छानिच्छाविवर्जने ॥
ābrahmastaṃbaparyante bhūtagrāme caturvidhe ।
vijñasyaiva hi sāmarthyamicchānicchāvivarjane ॥
Of the four kinds of created beings from Brahma down to the clump of grass, it is the wise one alone who is capable of renouncing desire and aversion.
4.6
आत्मानमद्वयं कश्चिज्जानाति जगदीश्वरं ।
यद् वेत्ति तत्स कुरुते न भयं तस्य कुत्रचित् ॥
ātmānamadvayaṃ kaścijjānāti jagadīśvaraṃ ।
yad vetti tatsa kurute na bhayaṃ tasya kutracit ॥
Rare is the man who knows the Self as One without a second as well as the lord. of the universe. He does what he knows and has no fear from any quarter.